1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to magneto-therapeutic devices, and more particularly to eye and face masks incorporating static magnetic field generators in the form of magnets to provide magneto-therapy.
2. Description of the Related Art
Magneto-therapy uses magnetic fields to provide therapeutic and restorative treatment to limbs, organs, and other parts of the body. Generally, one means by which magneto-therapy may be achieved is by bringing a magnet or series of magnets into close proximity with the affected body part or organ of interest. As is known according to Faraday's Law of Magnetic Induction, as well as the Hall Effect, charged particles experience a force acting on them when they move through a magnetic field in a perpendicular direction. Since human blood is replete with ions and electrolytes, it has many charged particles which experience a force, including an aligning force, when moving through a magnetic field. When exposed and caused to so travel through a magnetic field, such ions and electrolytes may generate heat, causing the associated blood vessel to widen. The widening of the blood vessel would then allow increased volumes of blood to flow through the blood vessel.
Additional therapeutic or restorative effects might arise through the alignment of polar molecules as they pass through the magnetic field. When passing through a magnetic field, polar molecules rotate to align themselves with the field. Such alignment would alternate with the magnetic polarity as the polar molecules traveled through different regions of such magnetic polarity. The mechanical motion of the rotation of such polar molecules might also cause heating and the like and would also stimulate, mix, or agitate the blood in a gentle manner, causing it to gently churn. Such mixing of the blood at the molecular level may cause it to more easily recognize foreign matter. By recognizing foreign matter, the blood and/or immune system may be able to more readily address such foreign matter.
Several patents are known having various designs for the alternation of magnets of different polarity to provide spatially diverse magnetic fields. The patent to Latzke (U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,711 issued Dec. 25, 1984) and the patents to Ardizzone (U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,692 issued Jan. 11, 1994; U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,072 issued May 7, 1996; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,495 issued Jul. 23, 1996) all disclose a variety of magnetic plaster and magnetic pads having certain magnetic geometries in order to achieve spatially varying magnetic fields through the use of magnets.
While certain portions of the human body have been emphasized as being subject to the use of magneto-therapeutic devices, it remains to be seen in the art to provide an eye or face mask that would incorporate magneto-therapeutic elements. It can be seen, therefore, that it would be of some advantage to provide magnetic-therapeutic aid to a person's eyes and/or face, particularly while the person rests or sleeps as such magneto-therapeutic treatment could then be effected for a period of several hours without interfering with a person's daily and ongoing activities.